Sewing and Knitting. Our Perspective.

“I like being a woman, even in a man’s world. After all, men can’t wear dresses, but we can wear the pants.”

— Whitney Houston

It all started… with the pattern I wish I never bought. I stopped at the fabric store and my Hubby just happened to be with me. I was looking through the pattern books and Hubs was bored. So he decided to be “helpful.” While Looking through the Burda book he began to make suggestions. He made a few suggestions and with a very quick glance I turned him down. After a while he exclaimed, “Oh, babe this would look great on you” Well, I felt guilty for rejecting his previous suggestions and bought the pattern (it was only $1). After all, how many guys would actually try to help as opposed to complain.

Now, this isn’t something that I would normally pick up.

My first turn off: the shiny dress on the model. The dress looked like it would take a lot of adjustments because although quite sexy I’m not quite as… uh… shall I say lean as the model. I honestly have seen this pattern a bunch of times and the thought of buying it has never even crossed my mind!

Well, needless to say this pattern sat in my stash for quite some time without getting any attention from me. Then one day I was bored… I must have been just as bored as Hubs was at the fabric store because I began to contemplate making this dress.

Now…. whenever I’m sewing a dress that demands the use of knits I am always aware of how tricky fabric choice is…. I ended up buying a black and white stretch fabric. I had no real commitment to this project so I didn’t invest much money or energy. Fabric cost me $3.

The dress itself was easy to make. I love easy to make dresses. The instructions were fine. If I were writing the instructions I think I would have changed things around a little, but they were easy enough to understand. The only part that could get confusing was sewing through the many layers at the top of the dress.

Like this:

Just looking at the changes in the seasons gives me this great desire to sew! The warm summer breeze whispers sewing secrets into my ears. The sky paints a canvas and dares me look away. At the end I’m left with no choice to to find beautiful fabric and sew. Sometimes something intricate with delicate silk and at other times something simple and cotton.

I know I haven’t been around much but…I got up a few mornings ago (took me a while to post) and simply decided that I needed to sew something to start my summer off right. So I looked through my patterns and came up with…

Although this pattern is simple I knew that the right fabric in the right colors would make this dress exactly what I wanted. When New Look labeled this dress as “easy,” they weren’t kidding!! I finished this dress in just a few hours!

So… What do you think?

As long as you know how to make darts and put in an invisible zipper (which is the only zipper i know how to sew lol) you zip right through this one. This dress is encouraging. I love wearing dresses in the summer! I particularly like this dress because I can dress it up or down. I can throw this dress on and look “summery” and fun lol.

I also love the fact that it fits so well but still comfortable and freeing :)

A pattern is what you make of it…. When I look at the picture on the pattern cover it looks a little sad to me. But I knew this dress had potential!!!

This dress was a nice gem to add to the perfect background which nature provides.

Like this:

“And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons” – Even Adam and Eve sewed lol

Have you ever seen a sock monkey? I see them all the time and marvel at how adorable they are but never think to make one. Well, yesterday I wanted to sew but didn’t want to make anything too intense. I was browsing the Internet, looking through my pattern books, eating an apple while singing so I have no idea how I fell across a blog all about sock monkeys!! I just had to make one!

I have 3 nieces (all under the age of 10) with birthdays this month. What an inexpensive, personalized yet very cool gift idea! Right?

I went on a quest to find instructions for making sock monkeys and found some pretty good sites. The instructions that proved to be the most helpful however were from theeasydiy on You Tube.

This was the best starting point for a person like me. Some people can just look at something and figure out how it’s made, not me, I need visual instructions. Well, she takes her time and shows the process step by step! I had 2 pairs of socks and decided to try my hand at sock monkeys! My first sock monkey I call “Buzz” because he’s yellow and black like a bumblebee.

My biggest concern with making Buzz was attaching the limbs and having them look sloppy.

As I was working on Buzz I thought of a better way to make Sock Monkeys, which explains why I never added Buzz’s other arm. ☹

I started to work on Martha…

By making holes in the position for Martha’s arms, legs, and tail I was able to give her a cleaner look.

I like how Martha was turning out but was still discontent with her face. Again, I am having trouble with the sloppiness of attaching her mouth & I don’t want to use buttons for the eyes (chocking hazard). This is why the “Sock Monkey Project” has come to a halt. I don’t want to give a gift that looks raggedy.

I’m not sure if I will take another shot at this or just buy the girls gifts from the store. If you have any suggestions please share knowing that you will be saving both Buzz and Martha.

Like this:

The thunderstorm from the night before had taken even the weatherman by surprise. It left the city in chaos and most of the roadways were blocked (mainly due to flooding or fallen trees). It took me 2 hours to drive 5 blocks! I thought this might be a temporary problem so instead of heading back home I parked the car thinking I’d wait it out. You can imagine my delight when I realized that I had parked down the street from a fabric store! I wasn’t planning on buying anything, I wasn’t working on any sewing projects, and I didn’t even have the time to sew but still what better place to be stuck then at a fabric store? I wouldn’t buy any more unnecessary fabrics I would simply take a look around. There’s nothing wrong with a bit of eye candy…

Well… I bought lots of fabric! Gorgeous silk blends on sale… do you really think I would leave empty-handed? The first silk blend that led to my shopping spree was this one:

Look at her. Isn’t she a beaut?

FAST FORWARD…(5 months later)

I went back to being super busy and didn’t give the fabric or sewing a second thought. The fabric that I bought that day stayed in the bag.

My busy life started to slow down as my assignment was coming to an end and the thought of sewing started to creep back into my thoughts. I was all too familiar with this sensation. I had the sewing fever. I had to make something!

Lucky for me, a friend of mine was getting married and I would be flying out in 2 days. So I decided to make something quick and easy to wear to the wedding. I found this pattern and decided it would be the exact type of quick and easy dress that I could whip up for a wedding.

I like to focus on elaborate fabric and simple patterns. :) I finished the dress just in time for our flight and actually hemmed it when I landed. lol

I think that Thunderstorm was worth it back in the summer. What do you think?

Like this:

Let me tell you it’s been a very LOOONG couple of months. I started a work assignment that turned out to be incredibly time consuming. When I took on this challenge I had no idea that my social life would come to a screeching halt. I haven’t had time to peruse the web or spend time on Pattern Review. In the last 7 months I literally only made 2 articles of clothing and hadn’t written not 1 single blog (unless you consider the 2 word blog where I tell everyone that I’ll be back).

It was my very time sensitive schedule that led me to a traumatic event that took place about 2 months ago. I needed a quick last minute blouse to match an off colored skirt that I own. I was in a hurry and so with much ill of ease ended up buying an embarrassment of a blouse and I broke the bank doing it! The thing was really an insult. I’m not a seasoned seamstress but I could have made that myself. In fact mine would have looked better. So I asked myself. Why didn’t I already have that in my closet? It was a fairly basic piece no bells and whistle. I should have been able to pull that blouse out of my closet and not off the shelf!!!! I was appalled!

I’m not trying to make sewing this deep philosophical and profound quest…. But it kinda is . My assignment is over now and I am ready to sew! I’ve come to the realization that life is way to short to sew aimlessly. At any moment my sewing could come to a screeching halt and what will I have to show for it? I need a “sewing purpose” an ultimate goal. I need to make every sewing adventure count!

Like this:

“Buttons and patches and the cold wind blowing, The days pass quickly when I am sewing.”

Last year, my hubby and I went to Virginia and on our trip we found a gem…. Bella’s Fabrics. The store was as inviting as a candy store. All the colors and designs would be inspirational to any seamstress who walked in.

On the back wall, they had a collection of already sewn Amy Butler bags. At this point I had never heard of Amy Butler before, but I liked what I saw. The group of ladies at the store were extremely friendly and eager to help me. So I asked “ Do you think a beginner like me could make one of these?” The ladies encouraged me and showed me all the supplies that I would need. I was sooo excited! The thought that I too could make one of these bags practically blew my mind.

So, I bought 1 of Amy Butler’s patterns, 2 of her fabrics and some interfacing to make the bag. (If you haven’t already you should take a look at her fabrics. The colors and designs are very nice…vivid). I was going to try my hand at making the bag I saw but I didn’t expect mine to look anywhere as professional as the one in the store did.

Well guess what…. I made the bag and it looks like the ones in the store (see the pictures). Amy Butler gives great detailed instructions. Even a beginner like me was able to put a bag together that looked like a pro had made it (well almost).

From that day forth I have been faithfully making bags. If you aren’t a seamstress, don’t be afraid, all you need is a good pattern and you are well on your way to making a fantastic bag!

And this is how I was introduced to Amy Butler and how my bag making frenzy began…..